Bannon says "we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November"
Steve BannonHost of the War Room podcast and former White House strategist
On his War Room show, Steve Bannon said, "you're damn right we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November" and "We're not gonna sit here and allow you to steal the country again".
“you're damn right we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November. We're not gonna sit here and allow you to steal the country again.”
Original video
Original video
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should ICE and other armed federal agents be allowed at or near polling places in the 2026 election?
Since February 2026, federal officials have given differing answers about whether ICE and other armed federal agents could be at or near polling places during the November 3 election. On September 1, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said ICE would be at a polling place only if there is a threat to it or agents are serving a warrant, and DHS told Politico that ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations but that arrests could result if an active public safety threat endangered one. On September 10, 18 and 23, 2026, LULAC and other groups, a coalition including the NAACP, and Democratic leaders and party committees sued separately in federal court in Washington. They allege that the administration's statements and actions violate 18 U.S.C. 592, Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act, or both. As of September 25, the court dockets show no motion for a preliminary injunction and no answer or motion to dismiss from the federal defendants, and no court has ruled.
Source and context
Original video
About this source
Media Matters clip and transcript of the Feb. 3, 2026 War Room broadcast. The quoted words were checked against the audio of the clip.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Original video
About this source
White House video of the Feb. 5, 2026 press briefing. The quoted wording is our transcription of the video audio and matches a published transcript of the briefing.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt answers questions about Steve Bannon's remark and ICE at polling locations at the Feb. 5, 2026 White House briefing.
Excerpt from 31:25 to 32:25 of the White House video. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: The White House. Public domain (U.S. government work) (opens in a new tab)
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: Questions about Steve Bannon's remark and ICE at polling locations, about 31:43 to 32:08)
Reporting
About this source
The Guardian's report of Bannon's remarks. It describes him as a former White House strategist and podcast host who has no formal power but is closely tied to the Trump administration.
Before the quotation
Bannon had just said Democrats were calling this the greatest voter suppression movement in history.
After the quotation
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the remark at a briefing two days later.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The fixed reference point is the administration's stated or threatened use of ICE at or near polling places. Bannon said ICE would surround the polls and tied it to preventing an alleged stolen election, which argues for the practice. He holds no government role, so this is recorded as commentary rather than an administration position.
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The Dispute Index. "Bannon says "we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November"". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2684-on-his-war-room-show-steve-bannon-said